Interview with Velapp founder David de Min

David de Min is a rising star in the tech world who is bringing a new video editing app Velappinto the market. Being only 26 years old he already has a backing of Apple founder Steve Wozniak and is giving talks at major tech events. Despite his success, David has strong family values and is a keen animal lover. We met up to talk about his journey and future plans.

How did you get from being a college student in Kent to a successful app founder?

I’ve loved technology all my life and, being dyslexic, video has been such a liberating way for me to communicate. The tragic death of my younger brother when I was still a teenager really brought home to be that life is short and, if you want to achieve something with your time on this planet, then you really need to drive hard.

How did you come up with the Velapp idea?

My older brother and I had spoken about touring Kashmir and the Himalayas on classic British motorbikes since we were kids. When we’d saved enough, we decided to seize the day and off we went on the adventure of a lifetime. It was only when I got back that I realised I had captured over 300 hours of footage on my GoPros – a monster of an editing job. In that moment, Velapp was born. Suddenly the idea of an app that lets you ‘edit footage as it’s being captured’ made a lot of sense.

What is innovative and unique about Velapp?

I’d worked for specialist video production company, Absolute Post for three years prior to our motorbike tour. When you’re shooting, you know when you have ‘gold’ – the only question is ‘How long does it take you to distil all the gold into one, smooth edit? With Velapp, its instantaneous. You finish shooting, tell Velapp how long you want the final video to be – and it’s ready to be uploaded to social media or sent to a friend via email at the touch of a button.

What would you say has been your most memorable experience on the Velapp journey?

I’ve met a lot of incredible people over the past 2 years, but hearing Steve Wozniak describe Velapp as “Amazing!” was really something. When the co-founder of the biggest technology company in the world tells you that he is impressed, the adrenaline jolt is something else!

Who is your business inspiration at the moment?

The team I have built is the single most consistently inspiring thing. Each of them are experts in their field, they all understand Velapp at a deep level and we’re working hard, as a team, to take Velapp to the next level.

Do you have a routine that keeps you focused and motivated?

I get more done in the first two hours of the morning than the rest of the day combined.

After I take care of business and meetings – everything else is about reading all of the tech blogs and publications I can find. I’m constantly measuring and challenging myself against the other entrepreneurs in this ever changing world.

Is there any advice you could give to young people who want to start a business?

Do it. Life is far too short. Don’t take no for an answer. Find people who you respect and don’t be afraid to ask for help. There will be highs and lows. The highs take care of themselves, but you need your team around you when things get sticky and you don’t think you are making progress. No matter what, keep at it – you never know when everything will suddenly fall into place and your idea becomes a reality.